Interview: "China's economic vitality is impressive," says Moldova's deputy PM

Moldova's Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu is pictured during an interview with Xinhua in Chisinau, Moldova, on April 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Jin)

CHISINAU, April 19 (Xinhua) -- China's economic vitality in recent decades is impressive, Moldova's Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu told Xinhua in a recent interview, expressing his hope to further develop and deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation and to be able to welcome more Chinese tourists in his country.

"I have visited China many times and spent several weeks in total in China ... I have so many good memories. I visited many places and left my footprints in main areas of central and southeast China," he said.

Popescu also serves as minister of foreign affairs and European integration.

According to him, China has a broad territory, a long history and a rich culture, and is an excellent country to explore. "I hope to have the opportunity to return to China again, to stay there for another few weeks, and to visit more cities that I have not been to," he added.

"Every time I visited China, I found quite different landscapes. ... I have seen, felt and experienced China's advanced infrastructure," he said. He specifically mentioned the high-speed rail, the highways and the regional airports, and stressed that China's development in new technology, telecommunications and information technology is remarkable.

He said that Moldova and China have maintained a good relationship, and that both countries respect the territorial integrity of the other. In recent decades, the rapid progress of the Chinese economy and the continuous strengthening of China's position in the world economy have undoubtedly promoted the development of bilateral economic and trade relations.

"China is one of the most important economic partners of Moldova," he said, adding that his country imports various products from China, from consumer goods to telecommunications equipment, and exports about 9 million bottles of wine to China each year.

"Wine is one of the most important export products for Moldova, and an important part of our national identity," therefore, it is very important for Moldova that China imports large amounts of wine, he stressed.

Moldova has also been famous for its exports of agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables and grains, he said, adding that the two countries should deepen cooperation in this regard.

Referring to bilateral economic cooperation, Popescu said that Moldova is committed to vigorously improving its transportation infrastructure. It is actively promoting the development of new energy fields and he said he expects to strengthen cooperation with China in these fields as well.

He specifically pointed out that by building the largest photovoltaic park in Moldova's Criuleni district, China has established a very important existence in the country's energy market.

Popescu stressed that Moldova is a good investment platform, as it has already established a number of free trade zones with the European Union (EU) and other neighboring countries. Therefore, Moldova's products can easily enter many European markets. Several other free economic zones have also been set up in the country, attracting many investors in information technology, industry and automobile production.

"I believe that Moldova and China can fully negotiate various cooperation projects, jointly develop and produce various new products, and then export to the markets in the region," he said.

He told Xinhua that at this stage, Moldova is in the process of joining the EU, and it is of great significance for the country to join the European family. "Joining the EU will promote the prosperity of our country. ... It will undoubtedly further consolidate our relationship with China."

Popescu said that tourism, educational and cultural exchanges are also extremely important aspects of developing bilateral relations.

"We sincerely welcome our Chinese friends to come to visit and explore Moldova. ... We have a beautiful rural tourist route and a wonderful winery trip," he said.